Buy Your CMM Machine Smartly: Used and From a Dealer
For decades North American factories were imperiled due to competition from countries with cheaper labour and fewer regulations. Automated production lines provided North American factories a way to fight back, and the equipment that was perhaps most responsible for making this possible was the coordinate measuring machine (CMM).
Today, CMM machines are automating quality control in factories all around North America, improving the efficiency of production lines significantly. But there are especially efficient ways to buy the efficiency-promoting tool — here are the reasons why it’s best to buy a CMM machine used and from an authorized dealer.
Formal Guarantees
Buying a CMM machine from a dealer authorized by the Machinery Dealers National Association (MDNA) entitles you to guarantees that you can’t get when you buy from an independent seller or from auction.
The MDNA guarantees that prospective buyers will have the accurate information they need about the CMM machine’s condition, specifications, and adherence to industry terms and definitions. You will also be assured of a refund in case the machinery proves to be mechanically unsatisfactory, or they’ll repair it at dealer’s option. If you want increased peace of mind and assurance in the process of buying expensive used equipment, buying from an authorized dealer is the only way to get it.
Calibrate Your Machine from the Beginning
The role of quality control requires dependable and repeatable precision, so have it calibrated properly from the time of installation and make sure to recalibrate often during its lifetime.
CMM machines won’t give the kind of reliable results you need it it’s just brought into a room and plugged into the wall. For this sophisticated and sensitive machinery to work properly, they need to be installed and calibrated by an authorized dealer who is in the best position to give expert service, so you know your equipment will work to specifications right from day one.
Reduced Risk
Are you capable of inspecting a CMM machine to ensure it’s working up to spec? If you buy a used CMM machine from an individual owner or from auction, you probably won’t be able to accurately assess its condition.
If you buy a CMM machine from an authorized dealer, you’ll know that the probes, air lines, drive systems, cabling and bearings have all been thoroughly inspected. Authorized dealers will issue a formal guarantee that the machine you buy will work to specification right at the time of purchase, or they will repair it for you for free.
Software Optimization
The hardware isn’t the only thing that’s complex about CMM machines. Do you have a working knowledge about CMM software? You don’t want to buy a used CMM machine without detailed knowledge of the software inside it. If you buy your used CMM machine from an authorized dealer, you’ll get reliable information about the software inside the machine.
If the software is right for you, they’ll tell you. If there’s software that will better meet your needs, your dealer can direct you to it.
CMM equipment will save you money on the production line, but you can also save money buying your CMM machine — just make sure you buy it used and from an authorized dealer.